What do I need . . .

. . . to turn these things into one of these?

Anyone . . . Bueller . . .

I did manage to change the skein on the right



into this ball


all by my lonesome without benefit of handy tools or, well, just another pair of hands. It took a very long time and turned into the Herculean task of unraveling the Gordian Knot (which, unlike Alexander, I did not cleave in twain.)

So I ask, what tools do I need to turn an annoying skein into a much friendlier and more tractable center pull ball?

Still burned out, but . . .

. . . I do have one new skein of yarn to show off. It just amazes me how the pictures I take look nothing like the color the yarn actually is. This one is actually a very deep, sinfully luxurious blue and not the pale blue of this photo.

Happy Easter!

Scarcity

I know I've been a bit scarce of late, but I've been on a reading kick, having burned myself out on crafty things. The white on white cross stitch on the butterfly fairy was driving me mad so I decided to take a few weeks off from that. I was very industriously knitting scarves - as is evidenced by the two samples I posted last month - but I've managed to seriously screw up twice on the very simple scarf I'm working on now so I decided it was break time from knitting for a few weeks as well.

As for the reading, I'm about half done with the third Tawny Man book by Robin Hobb. Not a particular favorite, but it is soothingly mindless.

Falling Leaves Scarf

Begun Sunday, March 5, 2006, and completed Sunday, March 26, 2006. The intended recipient is my former mother-in-law. It will be this year's Christmas gift.

Yarn: Hand painted 100% merino wool in various shades of mauve from Kindred Spirit Yarn, fingering weight, approximately 440 yards

Needles: Size 7 US

Gauge: Don't know, don't care

Size: Don't know, still can't find my measuring tape

Pattern: If I give an instruction that is incomprehensible, post a comment and I'll try to clear things up.

k# - knit specified number of stitches
p# - purl specified number of stitches
sl2tog - slip two stitches simultaneously as if to knit
p2sso - pass the two slipped stitches over
yo - yarn over
ssk - slip two stitches individually as if to knit then knit the two together thru the back loop
k2tog - knit two together

NOTE: The pattern is worked over 10 + 6 stitches (the 10 stitch repeat is worked twice) plus 5 stitches on each end for the garter stitch edges for a total of 36 stitches across. The scarf begins and ends with 10 rows of garter stitch. Listed below are the pattern stitches only. The garter stitch edges are not included.

Row 1: k1, yo, k3, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, k2tog

Row 2: p

Row 3: k2, yo, k2, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, k2tog

Row 4: p

Row 5: k3, yo, k1, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, k2tog

Row 6: p

Row 7: k4, yo, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, yo, k7, yo, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, yo, k7, yo, k2tog

Row 8: p

Row 9: ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k3, yo, k1

Row 10: p

Row 11: ssk, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k2, yo, k2

Row 12: p

Row 13: ssk, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, k1, yo, k3

Row 14: p

Row 15: ssk, yo, k7, yo, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, yo, k7, yo, sl2tog, k1, p2sso, yo, k4

Row 16: p

Note: I still have to weave in the ends and block it. The garter stitch rib tends to curl under.

Guess what I got?

Before I forget

I tossed out the disaster I created. I was totally displeased with the results and I wasn't going to try dying that yarn again and I certainly wasn't going to use it for anything. I haven't had time to try again and it might be that I shall just keep buying other people's successes.

As noted elsewhere

I haven't done much crafty stuff this week because I've been working on rolling up a new D&D character I plan on playing starting this Monday.

But I have been working on the butterfly fairy at work. I have quite a bit of the white part of the moon done. I can get about a row of stitches done during those lunch breaks where I get the chance to stitch. I haven't taken a picture because it's just too boring for words.

And I've gotten more yarn for my now overflowing stash box. Three skeins are from Kindred Spirit Yarn and two are from another vendor. I was curious about her yarn so I bid on a couple of skeins. Needless to say, I prefer Krystal's. Given all the pictures I've put up of Krystal's yarns, I'll bet you can tell which is which.

More stash

Please be advised I have run out of room in my stash box.

Dragon Scales Scarf

Begun Saturday, March 4, 2006, and completed Sunday, March 5, 2006. The intended recipient is my sister-in-law.

I made a slight modification to the original pattern. I changed the garter stitch edges to seed stitch.

Yarn: Hand painted 100% merino wool in blues, purples, and pinks from Kindred Spirit Yarn, fingering weight, approximately 440 yards

Needles: Size 7 US

Gauge: Don't know, don't care

Size: Don't know, can't find my measuring tape

Updated March 7, 2006: The scarf isn't completely done yet. I still need to weave in the ends and block it. When it is finished, it will be a Christmas gift this year.